APB Reloaded Getting Xbox One And PS4 Releases Next Year: But Will It Support Cross-Platform Play And Will Your Paid Content Make The Trip?

During a panel at today's Digital Media Wire event in NYC concerning the monetization of free-to-play games, Bjorn Book-Larsson of Reloaded Productions dropped the news that they are working on Xbox One and PS4 ports of their hit PC title APB Reloaded.

APB Reloaded is one of the few successful examples of a game abandoning its paid model for a free-to-play one and doing it successfully. It takes place in a city overrun with gang battles and constant war between the cops and criminals, and missions usually consist of one faction trying to complete a series of objectives while the other side tries to stop them.

Both next-gen systems have been experimenting with free-to-play titles like Warframe and War Thunder, and if all goes well the port of APB Reloaded hit mid-2015. There's just one problem- Microsoft and Sony aren't playing ball.

Reloaded Productions wants current PC players to be able to carry over their customized characters and purchased content to next-gen platforms, but they've seen "incredible resistance from platform owners," according to Book-Larsson. They are still negotiating with both companies over this issue to convince them that it's a smart business decision.

What are Microsoft and Sony concerned about? Mostly, it seems they're loathe to allow gamers to bring over their user-generated content and not have to pay again for anything they've purchased. After all, if players were allowed to play the new version of the game and download all their previously purchased content, Microsoft and Sony won't see a cut from it. They want them to buy it again.

For Reloaded Productions allowing players to both access their already-purchased content and play with players on other platforms is a no-brainer- it encourages PC players to continue playing their game on another platform as well as bring new players in. But Sony and Microsoft are notoriously reticent to allow cross-platform play.

During today's Digital Media Wire panel each of individuals discussed the games their company was involved with and their methods at enticing gamers to paying money for a free title. Reloaded's idea behind APB Reloaded has always been simple- customization. There's a massive amount of customization available for the game and it's kept the community involved and spending money in the game for years now. Make quality content, and gamers will show up, that's their philosophy.

Reloaded Productions wants to provide the same for the upcoming Xbox One and PS4 APB Reloaded ports, but we'll see if they can convince the plaform owners.